Platform-scale fob railroads



2 Sh eets-Sheet 1.

T. FAIRBANK. PLATFORM SCALE.

No. 25,962. Patented Nov. 1, 1859.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. FAIRBANK. PLATFORMYSGALE.

No. 25,962. Patented Nov. 1, 1859.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTGZT T. FAIRBANKS, OF ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT.

PLATFORM-SCALE FOB R-AILROADS, 86o.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,962, dated November 1, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS FAIRBANKS, of St. Johnsbury, in the countyof Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Platform- Scales for V-Feighing Heavy Bodies; and T dohereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure1, is a top View of a railroad platform scale without the upper plankingof the platform the same being to exhibit the coupling levers and theirsupports. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal and vertical section of the couplingapparatus and its pit. Fig. 3, is a transverse section, taken throughthe middle of the platform. Fig. t, is a transverse section of theplatform and pit 1na sonry, while Fig. 5, is an end view of the same.Figs. 6 and 7, are top and side views of one of the longitudinal timber,of the platform.

My invention or improvement is particu larly intended for what aretermed railway platform scales or such as are employed in the track of arailroad, and for weighing the carriages or trains thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in an arrangement of the supportingstandards and the loops or supports of the longitudi nal levers andplatform with respectto each other and so as to extend within or intothe space between the side timbers of the platform, the said arrangementbeing productive of several important advantages as respectsconstruction and operation of the weighing apparatus.

In the drawings, A, exhibits the platform for supporting the cars orbodies to be weighed, the same being constructed of two parallel,longitudinal timbers a, a, unitet by transverse planks b, b, and bysundry cross ties, 0. lVithin the space, (Z, between the timbers, a, a,I arrange a series of longitudinal weighing levers,B,B; C, C. Each ofthe outermost of which (or those marked, B, B) is composed of a crossshaft, 0, and five arms, f, 5 g, it 71 projecting therefrom as shown inthe drawings. Each of the other levers, or those marked, C, C, iscomposed of a similar shaft, 1', and six arms Zc, Z, m, m, and, n, 11,arranged as shown in the drawings. The two inner arms of the levers, C,C, being suspended at their inner ends from a transverse weighing lever,D, arranged as shown in Figs. 1, and 3. Furthermore, within the pit, andresting on its bottom, or made to project upward therefrom, a timberframe, E, is disposed; in the pit, as shown in the figures, is a seriesof standards,

B, r, each of which has two posts, 0, 0, on whose tops, a round crossbar or bridge supported. The several standards, F, F, extend upward intothe space between the side timbers of the platform, there being one ofsuch standards to each pair of the shorter arms of the longitudinallevers. Each pair of such shorter arms is suspended from the cross barof its standard by means of a loop, 7', placed between the two arms ofthe pair, and having a knife edge bearing, 8, extending through it andfixed in the arms.

Immediately under the two sets of shorter arms of each longitudinallever there is a metallic cross bar, t, or the equivalent thereof, itbeing attached at its ends to the two longitudinal timbers of theplatform or made to extend from one to the other. This bar, z, rests ina loop, '11, placed immediately under each pair of the shorter arms ofthe adjacent lever such loop being suspended from a. Knife edge bearing,v, supported between and by such pair of arms.

From the above, it will be seen that the platform is supported by thelevers by means of the bars, 25, and their suspension loops, while thelevers are supported by the standards by means of suspension loops, allof such loops being arranged so as to enable the longitudinal weighinglevers to have a swinging movement lengthwise of the platform.

By means of stay rods 10, w, :0, a arranged as shown in the drawings,the platform is prevented from having a swinging movement and is onlymovable in vertical directions. Each two longitudinal levers B, C, areconnected by a loop,

The advantages or my arrangement over that when the platform rests onthe levers, are, that the levers are relieved from, or are not liable tobeing bound or cramped as they are when the platform rests directly onthem. Furthermore the bearings of the platform being of the characterdescribed, and arranged so as to swing longitudinally are enabled withthe levers to be arranged in the space between the longitudinal timbersof the platform. This diminishes the thereof to always assume the properpositions for weighing correctly.

I claim- The arrangement of the supporting standards and the loops orsupports of the longitudinal levers and platform with respect to eachother and so as to extend within or into the space between the sidetimbers ofthe platform substantially as specified.

THADDEUS FAIRBANKS.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr.

